Multiple container carrier

ABSTRACT

A carrier device for use with multiple container carriers for retaining and transporting a plurality of multiple container carriers.

United States Patent Klygis 1151 5,700,276 [4 Oct. 24, 1972 [S4]MULTIPLE CONTAINER CARRIER Mindaugas Julius Klygis, Evergreen [72]Inventor:

Park, Ill.

[73] Assignee: Illinois Tool Works, Inc., Chicago,

Ill.

[22] Filed: Feb. 23, 1971 [21 1 App]. No.: 118,000

[52] US. Cl. ..294/87.2, 206/65 C, 229/52 A [51] Int. Cl. ..B65d 25/28[58] Field of Search ..294/33, 87.2; 220/104, 85 H; 206/65 C, 655;224/45 P; 16/11]; 22 9/52 A UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,997,169 8/1961Poupitch ..294/87.2 2,514,858 7/1950 Gray ..294/87.2

Primary Examiner-Evon C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-W. Scott Carson'AttorneyRobert W. Beart, Jack R. Halvorsen,

Thomas W. Buckman, Edward L. Benno and Olson, Trexler, Wolters, &Bushnell [5 7] ABSTRACT A carrier device for use with multiple containercarriers for retaining and transporting a plurality of multiplecontainer carriers.

5 Claims, '3 Drawing Figures Patented 0a. 24, 1972 3,700,216

, INVENTOR M. Jul/us K lygis 2 y (QLuovu- Mm.

MULTIPLE CONTAINER CARRIER SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates to a carrier device for use with multiple container carrierssuch as shown in US. Pat. No. 2,874,835. Container carriers of thatpatent are extensively used for the multi-packaging of containers,usually metal beverage containers, which are generally commercially soldin multiples of six. The present invention cooperates with a number ofsuch multiple container carriers to form a single package of total thenumber of containers carried in multiple container car riers. With twosuch carriers each carrying six cans or containers, a convenient unitarypackage of twelve containers would be provided. The present inventioncontemplates the cooperation of the carrier device with the finger holdsand longitudinal side edges of the individual multiple containercarriers.

The carrier device of the present invention further includes an integralhandle for convenient transporting of the unitary pack.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a simplecarrier device for multiple separation carriers which is quickly andeasily applied, provides a convenient carrying arrangement for multiplecontainer packs, permits easy separation of the carrier device from themultiple container carriers, or easy removal of the individualcontainers from the unitary carrier pack.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide acarrier device for multiple container carriers such as shown, by way ofexample, in US. Pat. No. 2,874,835.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention areobtained by the provision of a carrier device formed from a sheet ofrigid or semi-rigid plastic, in which certain depending tabs areprovided for interlocking cooperation with a certain portions of knownmultiple container carriers. When two multiple container carriers withthe containers therein are arranged in a longitudinal side-by-siderelationship, the carrier device is positioned over and transversely ofthe multiple container carriers. The carrier device is then projecteddownwardly to snap the tabs into locking engagement with the pair ofmultiple container carriers. The individual containers are easilyremoved from the subject invention and the multiple container carriersby pulling and deflecting the individual containers downwardly andoutwardly of the multiple container carriers. The carrier device mayalso be pulled from the multiple container carriers to separate thecarriers for use of the containers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a carrierconstructed according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a pair of multiple container carrierscooperating with the carrier device of the present invention to define asingle unitary carrier package;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the structure shown inFIG. 2 and taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The carrier device of thepresent invention is shown at 10 in FIG. 1 in the form in which it iscut or otherwise formed from a sheet of plastic material. The plasticmaterial is preferably rigid or semi-rigid and may be a material such aspolyethylene. The carrier device 10 has a length sufficient to span thefinger holds of a pair of multiple container carriers such as thoseshown in the noted patent.

The multiple container carriers are shown at 11 in FIG. 2 and generallycomprise a flat unsupported sheet of plastic material provided with aplurality of spaced apertures, generally six in number. The aperturesare somewhat smaller than the diameter of a can with which the carrieris to be assembled, and the plastic material generally is a resilient,flexible, elastic material which will not readily tear. Polyethylene isa preferred example. The carriers 11 are applied over the tops of thecans 12 so that the carriers 11 are positioned immediately below the topbead of the cans l2. Finger holes 13 are provided in the carriers 11longitudinally centrally thereof and between each group of fourapertures. The edge portions of the carriers 11 about the finger holes13 and at the inter-connecting web portions form relatively stablehorizontally extending edges. These edges may clearly been seen as thecrosssectional areas shown in FIG. 3.

The carrier device 10 of the present invention is further formed to havea central portion 14 and two integral side portions 15. In using thedevice, the side portions 15 are folded downwardly to depend from thecentral portion 14, as may be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Areas of the central portion 14 are cut away or otherwise removed toform a convenient, integral handle 16.

The lower edge portions of each of the side portions 14 are formed tohave a number of integral tabs 17. In the preferred embodiment there arethree uniformly spaced tabs 17 on each side portion 15. The side edgesof the tabs 17 are formed to generally converge in a downward directionto act as cams to spread the edge portions of the carriers 11 when thedevice 10 is projected downwardly over a pair of carriers 1 l aligned asshown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The upper side edges of the tabs 17 are providedwith notches which interlock with the edge portions of the carriers 11when the device 10 is completely depressed as particularly shown in FIG.3. It should be noted that in the interlocked condition of the device 10with the carriers 11, the two center tabs 17 engage the longitudinalside edges of the opposed carriers 11 between pairs of the cam retainingapertures. The other tabs 17 each engage the opposed edges of one of thefinger holes 13 of the carriers 11.

It is apparent from the foregoing that in use, the device 10 as shown inFIG. 1, but with the side portions 15 in a depending arrangement, issimply projected downwardly over multiple container carriers 11 as shownin FIG. 2 to interlock the device 10 with the carriers 11 in the mannershown in FIG. 3. The resulting unitary package is a simple, convenientarrangement for retaining and transporting the containers 12. Thecarriers 11 are firmly and positively held together by the device 10,and the individual containers are easily removed from the package whendesired. In many arrangements of carriers 11 on containers such as cans,the carriers 11 are applied axially below the chimes of the cans. Insuch arrangements and with the device 10, the device will be alignedsubstantially on the upper surfaces of the cans and a plurality of suchunitary packages may conveniently be vertically stacked.

Although only a preferred embodiment of the invention has beenspecifically illustrated and described herein, it is to be understoodthat changes can be made within the spirit and scope of the invention,as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a pair of multiple container carriers, each of saidcarriers formed from a resilient, flexible, elastic plastic material andhaving two adjacent rows of three apertures interconnected by a web, theportions of said web between said rows and said apertures having holestherein, said carriers arranged in a longitudinal side-by-siderelationship, a carrier device comprising a substantially U-shapedmember with the legs thereof directed downwardly over and spanning saidpair of carriers, and means on said legs of said U- shaped memberinterlocking with said holes and the opposing edge portions of said pairof carriers to form a unitary container carrier arrangement.

2. In a combination as defined in claim 1, and integral handle meansformed in the cross member of said U-shaped element for transportingsaid unitary container carrier arrangement.

3. In a combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said last mentionedmeans comprises three tabs formed on each of said legs of said U-shapedmember, said three tabs on each leg being aligned transversely of saidrows with the center tab substantially between said pair of carriers andthe end tabs over said holes in said web, and means on said tabsproviding an interlocking arrangement of said center tabs with theopposed edge portions of said webs and of said end tabs with opposededge portions of said holes.

4. In a combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said means on saidtabs providing an interlocking arrangement comprises downwardlyconverging side edges formed on said tabs acting as cams to deflect saidopposed edge portions of said webs and said holes upon downwardprojection of said carrier device over pair of carriers and furthercomprises notches formed in said side edges of said tabs above saidconverging side edges for receiving said opposed edge portions of saidwebs and said holes upon further downward projection of said carrierdevice over said pair of carriers.

5. A carrier device formed from a sheet of plastic material in aninverted U-shape comprising a rectangular central member and integralside members depending from opposite longitudinal edges of said centralmember, a handle member formed in said central member as a strap withthe ends thereof integrally connected to said central member, aplurality of tabs integrally formed to depend from each of said sidemembers in a longitudinally spaced apart relationship in the planes ofsaid side members, each of said tabs having the opposite side edgescoverging downwardly, and the integral connections of said tabs to saidside members being substantially narrower than the spacing between theupper ends of said opposite side edges of each of said tabs.

1. In combination, a pair of multiple container carriers, each of said carriers formed from a resilient, flexible, elastic plastic material and having two adjacent rows of three apertures interconnected by a web, the portions of said web between said rows and said apertures having holes therein, said carriers arraNged in a longitudinal side-by-side relationship, a carrier device comprising a substantially U-shaped member with the legs thereof directed downwardly over and spanning said pair of carriers, and means on said legs of said U-shaped member interlocking with said holes and the opposing edge portions of said pair of carriers to form a unitary container carrier arrangement.
 2. In a combination as defined in claim 1, and integral handle means formed in the cross member of said U-shaped element for transporting said unitary container carrier arrangement.
 3. In a combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said last mentioned means comprises three tabs formed on each of said legs of said U-shaped member, said three tabs on each leg being aligned transversely of said rows with the center tab substantially between said pair of carriers and the end tabs over said holes in said web, and means on said tabs providing an interlocking arrangement of said center tabs with the opposed edge portions of said webs and of said end tabs with opposed edge portions of said holes.
 4. In a combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said means on said tabs providing an interlocking arrangement comprises downwardly converging side edges formed on said tabs acting as cams to deflect said opposed edge portions of said webs and said holes upon downward projection of said carrier device over pair of carriers and further comprises notches formed in said side edges of said tabs above said converging side edges for receiving said opposed edge portions of said webs and said holes upon further downward projection of said carrier device over said pair of carriers.
 5. A carrier device formed from a sheet of plastic material in an inverted U-shape comprising a rectangular central member and integral side members depending from opposite longitudinal edges of said central member, a handle member formed in said central member as a strap with the ends thereof integrally connected to said central member, a plurality of tabs integrally formed to depend from each of said side members in a longitudinally spaced apart relationship in the planes of said side members, each of said tabs having the opposite side edges coverging downwardly, and the integral connections of said tabs to said side members being substantially narrower than the spacing between the upper ends of said opposite side edges of each of said tabs. 